Alabama Softball Dominates Kentucky in SEC Series
After a surprising loss to Samford during the week, the Alabama softball team made a strong comeback by sweeping the Kentucky Wildcats this weekend at Rhoads Stadium. The Crimson Tide is now 42-4 overall and 15-3 in SEC play, while the Wildcats remain at the bottom of the standings with just one conference win and 20 losses.
The series was a showcase of Alabama’s dominance. The first game ended with a 9-0 victory in six innings, followed by a 5-4 win in the second game and a 4-0 shutout in the third. The team’s performance highlighted both strong pitching and clutch hitting.
Coach Murphy Praises Freshman Performance
Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, especially highlighting freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Pallozzi. “I’m really pleased with our freshman, Kaitlyn Pallozzi, who pitched a great five innings for us,” Murphy said after the Sunday victory. “She gave us a start when we absolutely needed it and left with her first SEC win.”
Pallozzi allowed only three hits over 4.2 innings to earn the win in her first SEC start. Her performance provided a solid foundation for the team as they continued their winning streak.
On the offensive side, Murphy praised the contributions of Alexis Pupillo and Brooke Wells. “Offensively, we mixed in a couple of really good at-bats, but the two in the order that were outstanding were Alexis Pupillo at the leadoff and Brooke Wells right behind her. Those two together are a deadly combination.”
Key Stats from the Series
Several standout performances defined the series:
- Zero Walks: Alabama gave up zero walks throughout the entire series.
- 19th Shutout: The Crimson Tide earned its 19th shutout of the season on Sunday.
- Home Runs: Brooke Wells hit her 19th home run of the season, tying for fourth place in Alabama history for a single season. She also had a vital RBI single in the seventh inning Saturday.
- Base Streak: Marlie Giles extended her base streak to 16 games. On Sunday, she hit an RBI single to put Alabama up 3-0. She was also key in the Saturday game, hitting a bases-loaded single to tie the game in the seventh inning.
- Shutouts: Pitcher Jocelyn Briski threw her third complete-game shutout of the season in the 9-0 win on Friday, improving to 17-1 on the year.
Standout Moment: Walk-Off Victory
One of the most memorable moments came in the bottom of the seventh inning on Sunday. With the bases loaded and two outs, Audrey Vandagriff hit a single to bring home the game-winning run. This marked Alabama’s first walk-off victory since April 14, 2025, against Oklahoma. Vandagriff was the hero that day, too, hitting an eighth-inning home run to beat the Sooners.
Vandagriff also contributed significantly in the opener against Kentucky, smacking a three-run home run to secure the run-rule victory.
What’s Next for the Crimson Tide
Looking ahead, Alabama will face UAB at 6 p.m. CT on Tuesday in Birmingham. The team will then close out the regular season with a series against Tennessee before wrapping up with a matchup against South Carolina.
